News: Priority projects for Rotherham Gateway regeneration scheme

Rotherham Council is using a twin track approach to progress key projects in the first phase of the masterplan for the proposed new mainline station in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported on the 20-year masterplan for Rotherham Gateway last year which showed how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider £300m regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

Integrated with a new tram-train stop, the station would bring faster rail connections. A new mainline rail station at Forge Way would deliver faster links to Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, and Doncaster, unlocking wider regional and national connectivity. The aim is for journey times to Leeds to be cut from 60 minutes to 30 minutes and to be 75 minutes to Birmingham.

Station opening has been pencilled in for "late 2030" with the four-phase masterplan showing two platforms, with passive provision for four, to support future growth.

A phased approach starts with the Station Quarter, on land which is currently Northfields Business Park, which features the mainline station, tram-train station, public realm, car parking, northern access via new bridges, and the station anchor building - essentially covering the development of the station core area.

Outside the core area, an active travel route along Effingham Street will connect the town centre to the station as Phase 1a.

A Rotherham Council report states: "To maintain momentum and ensure the alignment of phase 1 schemes, the Council proposed utilising Gainshare funding. This will fund the three priority workstreams, plus resource capacity."

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Gainshare funding refers to the money committed to South Yorkshire through the Devolution Deal agreed by the Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), South Yorkshire local authorities and government.

The development of the three priority projects will cost over £2m.

£400,000 is being used to develop the outline designs for the space surrounding the station. The plans "will ensure the Station area is a welcoming transit interchange with good design and high-quality public realm that will create a ‘sense of place’ and act as a gateway into Rotherham."

£624,000 is set aside for work on the Innovation Gateway Anchor Building. A council report states: "This should be a high-quality, flagship building of architectural merit with an anchor tenant to act as a gateway into Rotherham. It would also be an anchor building for the Innovation Campus and incorporate the required station facilities into the ground floor."

£1.03m is for the full design of an Effingham Street Masterplan and Active Travel Route. A comprehensive scheme has been proposed that would incorporate a new cycle / footbridge, landscape improvements, Active Travel provision, and improved pedestrian crossings. A 20 minute walk from the town centre, the plan is to complement the tram-train stop at the new station site and enable commuters to connect quickly and easily into the town centre.

Recruitment recently got underway for the project team including a Land Acquisition Project Manager, a Rail Project Manager and a Station & Public Realm Project Manager. Further consultants are set to be appointed with timetables showing that project design work on the early phases will continue to December 2027.

The work is to support and compliment the Full Business Case which has already secured £11.38m via SYMCA for its development. £10m was previously secured for land acquisition.

Further phases of the masterplan involve the creation of an innovation campus on plots of land near the station, and the introduction of new housing in the area.

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News: Rotherham mainline timeline

Rotherham Council has accepted over £11m to develop a Full Business Case for the Rotherham Gateway Station regeneration scheme, but what will that involve, and what is included the first phase of the masterplan?

Allthough the funding is coming from regional funding pots such as the City and Regions Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) via the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA), the project is still a retained scheme within central government and required ministerial and treasury approval which came last month with the annoucement on Northern Powerhouse Rail.

With funding already secured for acquiring land, a masterplan was completed that set out a phased 20 year vision for a £300m regeneration scheme.

Rotherham Council is already working on a Strategic Programme Business Case which outlines the vision, providing estimated costs for each phase and the related outputs and outcomes. It also details land acquisition requirements, and the priority projects needed to progress the first phase. It will align with the development of the Station Full Business Case for approval by SYMCA and the Department for Transport.

The first phase includes the main line station, tram-train stop and the floormat between them, including station building and a potential RiDO business centre plus provision for a user-friendly multi-modal transport interchange.

Over the next year, designs will be drafted for the first phase with contractors appointed and a delivery programme agreed. At the same time, train operators will be secured with commitments to stop at the new gateway station.

Other aspects of the full business case relate to developing a wider transport strategy, securing funding for the scheme and completing the land acquisitions.

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A council paper confirms that one of the three required interests has already been acquired, and negotiations are progressing well with landowners of the two remaining sites. The council is considering using compulsory purchase powers if required.

Detailed designs and updated costs are set to be completed by March 2027 with the full business case ready to be submitted in December 2027.

The masterplan shows four phases: year 0 - 5; year 5 - 15; year 15 - 20; and year 20 and beyond.

At the heart of phase 1 is the station quarter and the station building. Rotherham Gateway is expected to be a Category C/D station - and important feeder / medium staffed station with consultants estimating annual footfall to be 0.609 million (access) and 0.584 million (egress). By comparison, Sheffield Station is a Category A station, and Rotherham Central and Swinton are in catergory E.

The Station Quarter, the minimum requirement for station operation, is set for land which is currently Northfields Business Park, which features a stop on the main line and on the line that carries the tram-train. It will also include a station building, a 150 space car park, space for buses and taxis and bridges over the two lines.

The masterplan states: "Approaching from Forge Way, visitors and passengers will be greeted by the station building on the ground floor next to an open green plaza. Visitors will also have a clear and direct pedestrian and cycle link that leads them from the mainline station to the tram-train stop, and further along the canal and into the town centre."

Work continues on a potential business centre within the station building providing "a unique opportunity to become incubator spaces, which will help to catalyse the development of the Innovation Campus" in future phases. There would also be the opportunity for F&B (food and beverage) or retail on the ground level as well as commercial use on upper levels of the station building.

Complimentary development work is also set to be carried out on public realm in the station quarter and a Strategic Outline Business Case has been prepared for a comprehensive scheme that improves access from the Station to the town centre - an active travel route along Effingham Street with enhanced crossings at Centenary Way.

Other early work includes connections to Mangham Way and potential improvements to an underpass to the North East of the site that is currently susceptible to flooding.

Rotherham Council hopes to open the new station by late 2030, and believes it will bring 1,000 highly-skilled jobs and more than £1bn of private investment in the future phases which include proposals for an innovation campus with 180,000 sq ft of commercial space, a multi-storey car park and a living quarter with 205 flats and 37 houses.

Council papers explain: "The Gateway scheme is crucial to the Don Valley Growth Corridor – a key aspiration and priority for SYMCA, highlighted in their recent Plan for Good Growth. The Rotherham Gateway area alongside Bassingthorpe Farm and Templeborough will contribute to the wider economic corridor, with Gateway being a catalyst to "kickstart" development and investment in the wider region."

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News: Northern Powerhouse Rail commitment "represents real progress" for Rotherham and South Yorkshire

Although full funding is "not a done deal" the recent announcement on Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) represents the government's "commitment to support plans for Rotherham’s new mainline station," South Yorkshire's Mayor says.

Rotherham Gateway Station and the electrification of the Sheffield - Leeds line are included in the first phase of the scheme.

Documents show that transport investment will also support major development plans around the station, linking to the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District that includes a spine running through Sheffield and Rotherham.

The new NPR plan has been given an overall funding cap of £45 billion. £1.1 billion has been announced for the Spending Review period, "allowing progress on planning, development, and design work to be made which will unlock benefits for the people of the North from the 2030s."

Setting out the case for change for a Northern Growth Strategy, the Government says that "the first phase will prioritise the quickest wins via upgrades to lines east of the Pennines for delivery in the 2030s, focusing on electrification and upgrades in the Leeds-Bradford, Sheffield-Leeds and Leeds-York corridors, including the stations.

"The expectation is that many of the trains used would be extensions of longer distance services, meaning that this package should also improve links from the Yorkshire cities to the Midlands, London, and the North East. This phase aligns with the proposals for NPR delivery in the 2030s set out in Yorkshire’s Plan for Rail produced by Lord Blunkett with the White Rose Mayors."

The government says that it will work closely with local leaders "to align rail improvements with wider plans to modernise and unlock capacity at key stations." For South Yorkshire this includes: "Providing the additional station capacity needed at Sheffield and working together with local leaders to ensure tram-train interdependencies and options are fully explored as part of the forward joint development work. While more substantial work on Sheffield-Manchester connections will come in phase 3, this phase will consider opportunities for unlocking additional capacity on this corridor sooner.

"The government will also ensure that development work aligns with local plans for a new Rotherham station, for which final business case funding has been confirmed."

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South Yorkshire's Mayor, Oliver Coppard said that the NPR announcement is a commitment to improvements to Sheffield station, four fast trains an hour to Leeds (up from two) on electrified lines from Sheffield and through Rotherham Gateway Station, which the government has now committed to supporting plans for.

Coppard added that he is expecting "millions of pounds to kick-start our plans for extensions to the Supertram network" and added that plans for a Dearne Valley Parkway station could be back on the table as NPR is developed.

Mayor Coppard, said: “For South Yorkshire, Northern Powerhouse Rail represents real progress. Better connections between Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester mean quicker, more reliable journeys, opening up more choice around work, skills and opportunity for everyone across our region.

“This plan for Northern Powerhouse Rail isn’t just about faster trains. It’s about working with central government to build a transport system that matches the ambition we have for South Yorkshire over the next decade and beyond. There’s still a lot to do, but today's commitment from government gives us confidence we will see a step-change in transport across the North.”

Over £11m of local transport funding has been agreed to develop a full business case for Rotherham Gateway station at Parkgate. A 20-year programme of transformation includes more than 355,000 sq ft of advanced manufacturing and commercial space, around 250 new homes, and up to 132,000 sq ft of green spaces and public realm. It is a £300m regeneration project with proponents aiming to have the station open by late 2030.

Cllr. Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said that the commitment to Rotherham Gateway being at the heart of investment plans was "nothing less than Rotherham people deserve."

He added: "For the last forty years Rotherham has been off the mainline rail network. Our plan isn't just to put that right, but to maximise the opportunities that it presents; direct connection into the tram-train network, with thousands of jobs created, and facilitating further high-quality local housing.

"With likely train journey times of just half an hour to Leeds, and a little over an hour to Manchester and Birmingham - as well as potentially direct connections to London in the future - the station doesn't just widen commute and work opportunities for Rotherham people, but in turn creates new business opportunities to relocate here too. We see that as part of a whole package of exciting developments between Rotherham and Sheffield along the Don Valley corridor.

"It's especially heartening to see that the government is considering Rotherham Gateway as part of the first stage of Northern Powerhouse Rail development. There is still a huge amount of work to do, with development of the full business case required and funding certainty reached before the first spade goes in the ground. It's definitely not a done deal, and I'd urge everyone to sign up to our station campaign to help us maintain momentum for the project."

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News: Rotherham Gateway Station included in Northern Powerhouse Rail announcement

There's strong signals of support for efforts to return mainline train services to Rotherham as part of a £300m regeneration project as the Rotherham Gateway Station is included in the first phase of the Northern Powerhouse Rail vision announced by the Government.

With more reliable and more frequent trains across major cities in the North, the NPR plans will drastically improve how people travel for work, education and leisure with the government adding that growing the productivity of the five largest cities to the national average would add up to £40 billion a year to UK economy.

The first phase will prioritise upgrades and electrification between Leeds-Sheffield, Leeds-York and Leeds-Bradford to transform commutes, set to be delivered in the 2030s. In the North East, work on the business case for the Leamside Line will be taken forward, as part of ensuring NPR services reach Newcastle.

With £1.1 billion to progress planning and development work as soon as possible, plans include improvements for Leeds, Sheffield and York stations – supporting significant regeneration plans to unlock tens of thousands of homes and jobs. The plan also includes pressing forward with work on Bradford Station, putting a young, dynamic city of 500,000 people at the heart of the northern network.

Over £11m of local transport funding has now been agreed for South Yorkshire to develop a new Rotherham Gateway station at Parkgate, which the announcement says "spells an end to slow journeys to Leeds and support the ambitious regeneration plans for the town."

When the previous government published its Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands (IRP) in 2021, it scaled back ambitions for NPR with Rotherham and Sheffield missed off the new network.

The new NPR plan has been given an overall funding cap of £45 billion.

South Yorkshire's mayor has previously expressed that improving the Sheffield-Leeds connection through NPR supports the Rotherham Gateway Station proposal. The pausing of plans for the electrification of the Midland Main Line to Sheffield last year means that it remains the largest city in the UK without electrified railways.

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Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “For too long, the North has been held back by underinvestment and years of dither and delay – but that ends now.

“This new era of investment will not just speed up journeys, it will mean new jobs and homes for people, making a real difference to millions of lives.

“The exciting improved stations across Leeds, Sheffield, York and Bradford will reflect the prestigious place rail holds in the northern economy, and regenerate vibrant, bustling districts in these cities.

“The first phase of Northern Powerhouse Rail will prioritise upgrading rail connections across Yorkshire and progressing work on the business case for the Leamside Line as part of ensuring services reach Newcastle, improving opportunities across the region.”

A future phase for NPR will focus on improved connections between Manchester and Sheffield given that it can take up to one hour 23 minutes to get to Manchester airport from Leeds or Sheffield, even though they are around 40 miles away.

This landmark upgrade to rail travel is one of the central building blocks of a plan for the North – to be published in the Spring. This will include plans for a northern growth corridor from Liverpool to York via West and South Yorkshire and bespoke plans for the North-East to make the most of opportunities in clean energy, AI, innovation and city centre regeneration.

Not only will plans improve travel connections, the redevelopment of stations and surrounding neighbourhoods will bring in new homes, jobs and local businesses. Rotherham's station masterplan shows how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

The idea is to use a mainline station integrated with a tram-train stop to further develop the advanced manufacturing cluster within South Yorkshire as part of the UK’s first Investment Zone. Future phases involve the creation of an innovation campus of around 180,000 sq ft of commercial space, further industrial zones and introducing new housing in the area.

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News: MP fully on board with Rotherham Gateway Station project

Local MP John Healey has added his name to the campaign to return mainline train services to Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported in October on Rotherham Council launching a campaign as part of a £300m regeneration project.

A long-standing supporter of the project, the MP for Rawmarsh & Conisbrough, joined to celebrate the major milestone of reaching 500 public pledges.

A 20-year masterplan for Rotherham Gateway Station at Parkgate shows how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

Rotherham Gateway will reconnect the town to the mainline rail network for the first time since the 1980s, delivering faster connections to major cities including Sheffield, Leeds and Birmingham, while unlocking new regional and national routes.

The scheme, which will complement the existing Rotherham Central station, also proposes a new tram-train stop, which will provide quick and convenient local connections, including to Rotherham town centre.

Representing a long-term investment in Rotherham’s future, the project is expected to create up to 1,000 jobs locally, with a further 8,000 across the wider South Yorkshire Investment Zone - delivering an economic uplift of over £100m through new employment opportunities.

Discussions are ongoing with the Department for Transport, which is currently reviewing the Outline Business Case. This follows the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s approval of £11.35 million to develop a Full Business Case.

The long-term ambition is to open the new station by the early 2030s at the latest.

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John Healey MP, Member of Parliament for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough and Secretary of State for Defence said: "I am pleased to join the many residents and local businesses who believe in Rotherham’s potential.

“Growth is at the heart of the government’s agenda, and the Gateway Station brings huge opportunity to the town to drive economic growth and bring much needed opportunities and investment into our region.

This is a project with strong local backing and clear economic benefits. I hope residents continue to support it so we can secure the improvements Rotherham deserves.”

Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council said: “Rotherham Gateway will transform our rail connectivity and could be the single biggest thing we can do to lift the future prospects of Rotherham’s economy.

“Gateway Station will act as a foundation for Rotherham’s wider regeneration, attracting renewed investment, supporting new housing and creating opportunities for local businesses to thrive.

“Beyond Rotherham, it will deliver lasting benefits for the region. Having seen the dedication, collaboration and hard work that has gone into making this project a reality, I’m delighted to see the support on the pledge page from so many local residents, businesses, community groups and politicians.”

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News: Innovative rail ticket technology trial expands across the North

Rail passengers in South Yorkshire can now join hundreds across England in trialling new digital ticketing technology.

People going between Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster can take advantage of simpler and more flexible ticket options when they travel on Northern rail services.

More than 2,000 journeys and counting have already been made under similar trials on East Midlands Railway and Northern services, which both launched in September 2025.

Digital ticketing trials allow passengers to check in and check out seamlessly on rail journeys, using a location-identifying app on their phone. The app tracks journeys using GPS (Global Positioning System) technology and then automatically charges participants at the end of the day. For ticket inspections and to go through ticket barriers, a unique bar code will pop up in the app to be scanned.

This technology replaces the need for paper tickets or more commonly used mobile tickets bought online or in-app ahead of journeys. Doing away with the need to plan and book travel in advance, the app tracks which trains passengers take, detecting when they have left the rail network.

The latest trial comes as the government is delivering the biggest overhaul of the railways in a generation through the creation of Great British Railways, which will help to deliver better services for passengers and simpler fares across the network.

Thanks to government backing, passengers taking part in the trial will get £15 worth of free travel, with credit automatically added to their account.

Another trial of the technology launched on the Sheffield to Barnsley route run by Northern on December 1 2025.

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Alex Hornby, Commercial and Customer Director at Northern, said: "We’re proud to be at the forefront of modernising rail travel in the North. The success of the first trial has shown that passengers value the simplicity and flexibility that technology brings.

"This second trial is an exciting next step and we’re excited to offer customers in that area a smarter, easier way to travel. This is about removing barriers and making rail the obvious choice for everyday journeys."

Mayor of South Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard, said: "It’s encouraging to see new technology being trialled to make rail travel easier for us all here in South Yorkshire. We know ticketing can be a barrier, especially for people who don’t travel often, so anything that helps make the system more straightforward to use is a step in the right direction.

"I’ll be keeping a close eye on how this trial works for passengers. If it helps break down barriers and makes rail more accessible for everyone, then it’s something we’ll want to build on."

Backed by nearly £1m of government funding, the trials are part of plans to modernise our transport system, putting passenger experience at the heart of every journey and encouraging more people to take the train – building on the government’s mission to deliver growth.

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News: Transport funding diverted to Rotherham Gateway Station project

Rotherham Council looks to have paused a number of multimillion pound transport schemes, with external funding instead going towards the cost of the proposed new mainline station.

The £300m scheme has recently cleared another hurdle within central government.

Rothbiz reported in June on the 20-year masterplan for Rotherham Gateway Station at Parkgate which showed how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

Integrated with a new tram-train stop, the station would bring faster rail connections. A new mainline rail station at Forge Way would deliver faster links to Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, and Doncaster, unlocking wider regional and national connectivity. The aim is for journey times to Leeds to be cut from 60 minutes to 30 minutes and to be 75 minutes to Birmingham.

The station already has millions of pounds attached to it. Backing the project in June, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) approved £11.35m that will enable the detailed design of the project and move it towards procurement. £10m of government funding has already been secured for land acquisition.

The total costs of the station, based on estimates from Network Rail, is £133m, and could be as much as £166m for a four-platform station. The station is part of a £300m regeneration scheme.

SYMCA papers show that the Department for Transport (DfT) has given its "approval of the scheme progressing to the next funding gateway" but overall funding for Rotherham Gateway Station has yet to be confirmed, with the borough also waiting on costed plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail.

So far, £1m has been utilised from SYMCA's City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), with £11.35m now set to be used from the same pot.

Earlier this month, Rotherham Council authorised another £400k for the station project, to be used from a £3m feasability fund that uses another SYMCA allocation. The money will enable the appointment of consultants and a programme director.

Recent SYMCA papers show that decisions have been taken in Rotherham to redeploy transport funding to the Mainline Station scheme.

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An update to the SYMCA board shows that there is a forecasted decrease of £71m in the authority's capital spend on transport with £25m relating to internally delivered transport activity, such as delays to the tram asset renewal (£21m).

The paper also discusses: "decisions taken in Rotherham to pause a number of schemes in consideration of the opportunity to redeploy funding to the Mainline Station scheme, subject to DfT’s approval of the scheme progressing to the next funding gateway which has now been received."

The station is a DfT retained scheme, held back by the Governmnet for further review or development before funding is released.

A previous SYMCA paper highlighted continued funding for key transport investment schemes in Rotherham such as £12.34m for the mainline station (up from £1m) and funding for proposed active travel schemes (Broom Road to Wickersley Extension Corridor - £10.7m, and Rotherham East Cycle and Bus Priority Package - £16.5m).

The paper also showed a number of schemes previously lined up for CRSTS funding given a latest forecast of £0. These include Worrygoose Roundabout improvements, which was initially earmarked for £4.8m, and the Maltby Active Travel Neighbourhood scheme, where £2m from CRSTS was previously set aside. Forecast spends have also been reduced for proposed improvements at Ickles Roundabout (from £7.5m to £4m) and at Doncaster Road, Dalton (from £1.2m to £200k).

CRSTS was confirmed in 2022, with South Yorkshire securing £570m. A further £1.5 billion was confirmed for South Yorkshire in June 2025. £530m is set to be used to renew the Supertram network with £350m set aside to reform South Yorkshire’s buses. What the rest of the new funding will be used for has not yet been detailed.

The latest settlement, now renamed "Transport for City Regions" is for 2027-28 to 2031-32 with around £12m brought forward and made available in 2026-27. Funding allocations for the final year of the CRSTS programme (2026-27) were still to be confirmed and both could be a part of the Integrated Settlement from 2026-27.

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News: Improving Sheffield-Leeds connection through NPR supports Rotherham Gateway Station proposal

Political and business leaders from Sheffield and Leeds travelled to Westminster recently to make the case for "transformational rail investment" between the two city regions.

And this week mayors and leaders have written to the Chancellor ahead of the Budget, calling for investment that will unlock investment and opportunity across the North.

The government is yet to confirm costed plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).

The call is for major investment in infrastructure, by delivering NPR in full, complementing other rail investment across the North of England to deliver better connectivity across all places to create ‘a spine’ that connects the whole North.

A full NPR would include electrification of the Leeds-Sheffield line which currently has just one fast train an hour meaning that the growth of the cities is being held back by outdated, Victorian rail infrastructure.

The two cities are urging the Government to back NPR between Sheffield and Leeds, with a clear timetable and delivery plan.

That includes:

- Four fast trains an hour between Sheffield and Leeds, bringing services in line with comparable cities across the UK.
- Improvements at Sheffield Midland Station, freeing up rail capacity on the main line by expanding the tram-train network.
- Investment in greater capacity at Leeds City Station, so it becomes a hub for onward travel into the city centre and is fit-for-purpose for the new mass transit system.

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South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard said: “Sheffield is the largest city in the UK without electrified rail, and our station will be at capacity by December. Delivering four fast trains an hour to Leeds as part of Northern Powerhouse Rail will help to unlock over a million extra journeys a year, boosting jobs, growth, and opportunity across the whole of Yorkshire.

“Improving links between Sheffield and Leeds will also support the proposed Rotherham Gateway station, offering a once-in-a-generation opportunity to connect the UK’s first Investment Zone and Innovation Spine - right in the heart of South Yorkshire - to the wider Northern economy.

“After decades of under-investment, it’s time we got a fair deal. Investment in rail isn’t just about faster trains, it’s about tackling the big challenges we face and helping Yorkshire move forward.”

The pausing of plans for the electrification of the Midland Main Line to Sheffield earlier this year means that it remains the largest city in the UK without electrified railways.

Rothbiz reported in June on the 20-year masterplan for Rotherham Gateway Station at Parkgate which showed how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

One of the aims is for journey times to Leeds to be cut from 60 minutes to 30 minutes.

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News: Action stations! Council launches campaign for Rotherham Gateway

Rotherham Council has formally launched a campaign to return mainline train services to Rotherham, as part of a £300m regeneration project.

Rothbiz reported in June on the 20-year masterplan for Rotherham Gateway Station at Parkgate which showed how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

Integrated with a new tram-train stop, the station would bring faster rail connections. A new mainline rail station at Forge Way would deliver faster links to Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, and Doncaster, unlocking wider regional and national connectivity. The aim is for journey times to Leeds to be cut from 60 minutes to 30 minutes and to be 75 minutes to Birmingham.

Station opening has been pencilled in for "late 2030" with the four-phase masterplan showing two platforms, with passive provision for four, to support future growth.

As a regeneration scheme, commercial opportunities would be created with a new station driving new economic activity and regeneration. The idea is for a new Innovation Campus to be created in the area to build on historic manufacturing strengths and foster regional growth.

The council estimates that new employment prospects and business activity will inject a significant £52m boost into the local economy and points to the station location at the heart of the South Yorkshire Investment Zone and near to the proposed 2,000 home development at Bassingthorpe.

People are being urged to get on board with the campaign to make the station a reality.

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A council call to action states: "The borough has a rich industrial heritage and bold plans for regeneration, advanced manufacturing and housing. However, limited rail connectivity is holding back economic growth. Restoring mainline train services to Rotherham for the first time since the 1980s is not just a long-overdue improvement – it is something the borough is entitled to.

"Better transport links in Rotherham are vital to connecting people, industry and business locally, regionally and nationally.

"Together, we can deliver Rotherham’s Gateway to the future. Your support is vital to turn vision into reality."

The programme includes more than 355,000 sq ft of advanced manufacturing and commercial space, around 250 new homes, and up to 132,000 sq ft of green spaces and public realm.

The business case for the station and wider masterplan area highlights the potential to create 1,200 new jobs.

Cllr. Chris Read: leader of Rotherham Council, said that the station was "part of a £300m package to transform our rail connectivity, create a thousand jobs and facilitate thousands of new homes" adding that: "It could be the single biggest thing we can do to lift the future prospects of Rotherham’s economy."

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has approved £11.35m that will enable the detailed design of the project and move it towards procurement. £10m of government funding has been secured for land acquisition.

The government is yet to confirm funding for Rotherham Gateway Station with the borough waiting on costed plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Rotherham Gateway Station website

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News: Investment to continue in Rotherham

Millions of pounds of investment has been made in Rotherham via the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), and there's more to come.

Nearly £190m of investment has been completed in South Yorkshire over the last two years supporting capital projects and Investment Zone activity supporting business expansion, new housebuilding, improvements to transport infrastructure and flood prevention.

WIth government money and powers diverted to South Yorkshire, SYMCA does not deliver all investments. The majority of projects are delivered by local authority partners, with some delivered directly by the private sector and other local and regional partners. Looking ahead, an Integrated Settlement is set to provide an opportunity for greater funding flexibility against the delivery of a set of outcomes agreed with Government.

SYMCA's Capital Investment Programme was recently dicussed at the authority's board.

For Rotherham, 16 schemes have been completed in the last two years with a total value of £78.1m.

Transport projects feature prominantly and include £40.1m towards the Parkway widening scheme and £13.2m for the new link road at Parkgate.

Completed regeneration projects in the borough include the second phase of Century Business Centre, which used £4.6m via SYMCA, and £2m being used in the town centre to progress projects such as Forge Island.

Brownfield housing projects in Rotherham have also secured millions of pounds to address viability.

Direct grants to support businesses expanding in Rotherham include the £1.5m that enabled SBD Apparel to move on to the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in the Investment Zone.

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Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: "Funding from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s Capital Programme has enabled us to take forward key strategic projects in Rotherham, such as flood defence works in the town centre and across the borough, the Century 2 business centre, and Olive Lane development at Waverley, as well as future projects which will drive further growth across the borough.”

Projects currently in delivery and development supported by capital investment from SYMCA include Rotherham Gateway Station and the tram-train stop at Magna, more active travel schemes, flood alleviation schemes and the markets and library redevelopment.

Another Investment Zone project is expected to see £2m used to support the Advanced Blade Casting Facility (ABCF) in Rotherham - a cutting-edge supplier of high-value superalloy turbine blade castings for large civil jet engines.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “My job is growth, across all four corners of South Yorkshire.

“That means investing our money in plans and projects that unlock the potential of Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield. Working with our local councils, I’ve been able to fund nearly £190m of capital investment – money to build things, make things happen, and bring some iconic buildings and sites back to life.

"We’ve made real progress, but we’re not done yet. Our capital investments are laying the foundations for a wealthier, healthier, happier, and safer South Yorkshire. And as major developments come forward, they’ll unlock even more potential, bringing longterm benefits for generations to come.

"People often ask me: what’s devolution for? It’s about making decisions here, for here. It’s about restoring pride, prosperity and purpose to our communities. It’s about making sure people can stay near and go far, and ultimately it’s about making a positive difference to people’s lives."

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News: South Yorkshire shunted into sidelines as MML electrification paused again

Sheffield is set to remain the largest city in the UK without electrified railways after the Government announced a pause of the electrification of the Midland Mainline (MML) in the North and Midlands.

The key route connects London St Pancras and Sheffield via the East Midlands. Working north, Network Rail had previously envisaged reaching Sheffield at the end of 2020 but work was paused at Kettering and effectively cancelled when plans were announced for new bi-mode intercity trains that are able to run on both electrified and non-electrified lines.

Work reportedly continued on the plans but DfT documents relating to the recent spending review show that the off-and-on project has been paused again.

The previous government's Network North document proposed an extension of the electrification of the MML from Sheffield to Doncaster and Leeds (potentially through Rotherham and its planned new station). Electrification to Sheffield was included in the proposition set out in Lord Blunkett's Yorkshire’s Plan for Rail.

Progress on the MML is in contrast to the upgrade of the East Coast Mainline (ECML) that links Doncaster and London which completed in 2020 and paved the way for the introduction of new trains, such as LNER’s Azuma and Hull Trains’ Paragon fleets.

Government documents confirm: "The next phase of electrification [phase 3 to Sheffield] of the Midland Main Line has been paused. Due to rising costs and the substantial electrification that has already been delivered, we are prioritising our funding on other schemes over the Spending Review period. We will continue to keep the potential for full electrification of the route under review as part of our plans to decarbonise our railways and as funding becomes available in future."

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combimned Authority says that it means that Sheffield will be relying instead on older, more polluting diesel trains that are slower, less reliable, and worse for the environment.

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South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “There’s frustration in the region. After decades of national underinvestment in our transport network, we’re having to wait longer for vital rail improvements that would create jobs, opportunities and economic growth. It feels like one step forward and two steps back.

“We were told HS2 would come to Sheffield. That was cancelled. Now electrification of Midland Main Line is being paused. All we’re asking for is a fair deal.

“I’ve raised my concerns directly with the government, and I’ll keep doing so. South Yorkshire deserves a modern, reliable, and sustainable transport network - and I won’t stop fighting for it.”

The region previously missed out when HS2 to Sheffield was one of the first legs to be cancelled which would have reduced the journey time from Sheffield to London from 120 minutes to 87 minutes, with additional seating capacity on brand new electric trains through electrification of MML.

In the wake of the scaling back of HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) Rothbiz has previously highlighted some alternative routes and the options most likely to serve Rotherham being an upgrade of the Erewash Valley line and the "Old Road" between Clay Cross Junction and Masborough Junction. An upgrade and electrification of the route north of Sheffield to Leeds has also been looked at, as has a new high speed line between broadly Rotherham and Leeds, known as the "M18 Short Alignment" that would connect to the northern leg of the previous HS2 Eastern leg into Leeds.

The 2025 Spending Review set departmental budgets for day‑to‑day spending until 2028‑29, and until 2029‑30 for capital investment. Whilst committing £92 billion to the DfT, and agreeing more than 50 road and rail upgrades, very little will impact South Yorkshire directly.

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News: Rotherham Gateway Station funding welcomed

The board at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has approved £11.35m to support the multimillion pound regeneration project around a new Rotherham Gateway Station.

As reported by Rothbiz earlier this month, the gainshare funding will enable the detailed design of the project and move it towards procurement.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “I’ve repeatedly said that significant investment is needed in our rail network - because if we want people to stay near and go far, we need better public transport.

“The £11.35 million investment into Rotherham Gateway Station is a vital step in delivering that future. It’s about more than just a new station - it’s about creating a gateway to opportunity, growth, and innovation.

“The new station will sit at the heart of a transformational regeneration project, supporting high-tech industries, new homes, and green public spaces. It will improve journey times and connectivity not just within South Yorkshire, but to key centres across the North, Midlands, and beyond.

“We do need more government support to complete our vision. That’s why Rotherham Gateway was included in Lord Blunkett’s Yorkshire’s Plan for Rail because it will help connect our people to the opportunities they deserve if we get it right - better jobs, better education, and a better quality of life. It’s one of the ways we’re building a world-class transport network in South Yorkshire that works for everyone.”

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The masterplan for the project was published last week setting out an employment-led phased approach with a new integrated station on the mainline and a tram-train stop on land at Forge Way, Parkgate that aims to transform the regional and national connectivity of Rotherham, catalysing a new Innovation Campus around the station.

The 20-year programme of transformation, includes more than 355,000 sq ft of advanced manufacturing and commercial space, around 250 new homes, and up to 132,000 sq ft of green spaces and public realm.

The business case for the Station and wider masterplan area highlights the potential to create 1,200 new jobs, underlining the significant economic impact the development is expected to bring to the region.

Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: “Back in 2022 we set out proposals to return mainline intercity trains to Rotherham for the first time since the mid-1980s. It’s great now to be able to progress those plans further, confirming additional funding to move to the next stage of development and for site acquisitions. We’re also setting out proposals for opportunities for more jobs and homes in the area around the proposed station, including connectivity into the town centre and access to the tram-train network.

“This is a once in a generation opportunity for our economy and our community, which would put Rotherham residents with half an hour’s travel of the centre of Leeds and an hour from Birmingham, expanding the work and leisure opportunities for Rotherham people as well as access to our borough. We’re determined to forge ahead with securing the infrastructure our borough needs to create new opportunities for years to come.”

The project has also got the backing of the local business sector.

Carrie Sudbury, Chief Executive, Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, said: "This station would act as a catalyst to transform the borough through wider urban regeneration opportunities, creating a new landscape that will be attractive to new industries and delivering transformational social and economic benefits."

Lisa Pogson, Chair of the Rotherham Business Growth Board, added: "The proposed new station offers the opportunity to re-establish fast, direct rail services to business and leisure destinations lost in the 1980s. By integrating Rotherham Gateway into future northern rail timetables as they are developed, the project will also minimise disruption for existing passengers while delivering new, faster connections to key destinations."

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News: Rotherham Gateway Station masterplan published

Rotherham Council has published the masterplan for the proposed new multimillion pound mainline station in the borough showing how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

Ideas for a much simpler "parkway" style station have been superseded by plans for a new integrated station on the mainline and a tram-train stop on land at Forge Way, Parkgate that aims to transform the regional and national connectivity of Rotherham, catalysing a new Innovation Campus around the station.

The employment-led masterplan focuses on the opportunity the location offers to further develop the advanced manufacturing cluster within South Yorkshire as part of the UK’s first Investment Zone. Rothbiz has previously reported on estimates that a station surrounded by business, retail, community and housing offerings which could generate 1,800 new jobs.

A phased approach starts with the Station Quarter, on land which is currently Northfields Business Park, which features a station building with a potential business centre, a 150 space car park and bridges over the two lines. Phase 2 (years 5 - 15) involves the creation of an innovation campus on plots of land nearby, one currently owned by NetworK Rail and vacant, the other used by Stobart to support biomass energy production.

The campus of around 180,000 sq ft of commercial space "will renew the existing industrial character, turning its focus towards high-quality employment in the advanced manufacturing sector or commercial use." Buildings for F&B or retail use could also be included to extend the experience of the Station Quarter.

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Phase 3 (years 15 - 20) includes the potential to replace the original car park with a multi-storey car park to the north of the mainline. Masterplanners also add that successful regeneration could prompt the redevelopment of industrial space on Mangham Road / Greasbrough Road, which is currently dominated by MAG's car auction site, into the Northwest Quarter.

Phase 4 (year 20 and beyond) introduces the idea of new housing in the area. To the east of the Station Quarter, the masterplan encourages residential use and the development of a Living Quarter on the land which is currently the large Trade Centre UK car showroom. Residential blocks and townhouses, shown with green courtyards, total 205 flats and 37 houses.

Connections are also discussed in the proposals, including active travel links between the Station Quarter and the town centre. With routes for pedestrians and cyclists on Effingham Street and Rotherham Road, this could also open up sites for development such as around Bailey House and Erskine Road.

Station opening has been pencilled in for "late 2030" creating additional rail services and faster journey times to the adjacent centres of Sheffield, Doncaster and Leeds whilst adding direct and quicker connections to key markets in the North West, the Midlands and the North East, as well as ports and airports.

The masterplan shows that consultants estimate annual footfall at the station to be 0.609 million (access) and 0.584 million (egress).

The conclusion outlines the need for "substantial public sector led intervention" for a £100m+ project. Today, the board at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) will be asked to set aside £11.35m to enable the detailed design of the project and move it towards procurement.

The SYMCA paper has the total costs of the project, based on estimates from Network Rail, at £133m, and could be as much as £166m for a four-platform station.

Rotherham Council is also utlising £10m from the Towns Fund to acquire land needed for the station. It is asking its cabinet to approve a further £2m for the acquisition of further land and property to facilitate the delivery of the station masterplan.

The masterplan concludes: "The ambitious Masterplan is purposefully designed to support Rotherham’s economic future, improving opportunities for all residents. A strong employment offer will precede the introduction of other uses in the long-term, including housing.

"Landing a station in Rotherham will bring forward better connectivity to the surrounding areas, activate the town centre, enhance mobility and generate value and placemaking through supported residential developments.

"A high quality public realm and creation of a greater premium on the quality of public spaces used by people has proven to benefit the built environment and uplift values.

"Early spending in infrastructure, local amenities and public spaces creates better places."

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News: £11.35m coming down the track for Rotherham Gateway Station

Further funding could be signed off later this month for Rotherham Gateway Station - the multimillion pound regeneration project to get the borough back on the mainline.

The board at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is being asked to set aside £11.35m to enable the detailed design of the project and move it towards procurement.

The total costs of the project, based on estimates from Network Rail, is £133m, and could be as much as £166m for a four-platform station.

The project involves a new integrated station on the mainline and a tram-train stop on land at Forge Way, Parkgate and aims to transform the regional and national connectivity of Rotherham, catalysing a new Innovation Campus around the station.

SYMCA's own website describes Rotherham Gateway has having "the potential to offer the most significant growth and regeneration opportunity across the North of England."

Rotherham Council is leading on the project and so far £1m has been utilised from SYMCA's City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) to produce an outline business case with £10m secured by the council through the Town Deal to prepare the Station Masterplan and acquire land necessary to facilitate delivery.

The new mainline station proposed for Parkgate is a Department for Transport (DfT) retained scheme, held back for further review or development before funding is released, so a business case for the project has been prepared in line with government guidance, including the requirements of the Treasury’s Green Book which has recently been updated to support place-based business cases.

The next stage involves the detailed design of the mainline station, the new tram-train stop and the station ‘floormat’ elements, and to ready the project for procurement. A SYMCA paper explains that this is the equivalent of a ‘Decision to Design’ within the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline.

The paper adds: "This is estimated to cost around £11.35m - funding for this work would use an allocation provisionally included within the MCA’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement programme. By accessing the devolved funding for the next stage of design work the applicant aims to ensure the project can progress at pace and ensure that the significant benefits that will be delivered as a result of the Rotherham Gateway Station project can be realised at the earliest opportunity."

Station opening has been pencilled in for "late 2030" creating additional rail services and faster journey times to the adjacent centres of Sheffield, Doncaster and Leeds whilst adding direct and quicker connections to key markets in the North West, the Midlands and the North East, as well as ports and airports.

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The next stage of development work also includes the preparation of a full business case for the government.

The SYMCA report adds: "To the north of the town centre, plans have been developed to establish an exemplar development of high technology industry fit for the future economy that builds on the industrial legacy and supports a thriving local economy, creating employment opportunities for new and existing residents. This provides the opportunity to further develop the advanced manufacturing cluster within South Yorkshire as part of the UK’s first Investment Zone.

"At the heart of these plans is the proposal to radically enhance the connectivity of this site, not only within the borough and South Yorkshire, but to and from other centres of advanced manufacturing, international gateways and London with the development of a new Rotherham Gateway Station."

In addition to the specific facilities associated with the station project, it is envisaged that the whole area will support more than 355,000 sq ft of advanced manufacturing and commercial space and around 250 homes (in addition to the 2,500 planned on the adjacent Bassingthorpe Farm strategic site). There will also be around 100,000 sq ft allocated for green spaces and 32,000 sq ft of public realm.

Around 200 parking spaces have been included and it is not assumed that the new station will require any local highway mitigation over and above the access. Rotherham Council is already considering a scheme to improve the network in the area as part of the Bassingthorpe Farm residential development.

As for the remaining funding, the report notes that sources are being explored, including CRSTS2 (now renamed as Transport for City Regions) "but as yet none is confirmed and so the funding of this next phase including the acquisition of land will be entirely at risk."

Mainliine station costs are estimated at £72,322,000 (upped to £94,300,000 with risk and inflation) with the tram-train stop estimated at £27,714,000 (£39,604,000). Building a four platform station would cost an estimated £94,145,000 (or £127,859,000 with risk and inflation).

Plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail and a 10-year Infrastructure Strategy are expected from the government soon.

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News: Rotherham waits on mainline station funding

The government is yet to confirm funding for Rotherham Gateway Station with the borough waiting on costed plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail and a 10-year Infrastructure Strategy.

The project involves a new integrated station on the mainline and a tram-train stop on land at Forge Way, Parkgate and aims to transform the regional and national connectivity of Rotherham, catalysing a new Innovation Campus around the station.

The scheme was described earlier this year as the number one project in the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority's (SYMCA's) submission to the spending review.

A number of other large transport projects were mentioned by chancellor Rachel Reeves and the Spending Review documents this week. In her speech she confirmed that an infrastructure strategy is being finalised and added that "in the coming weeks I will set out this government’s plans to take forward our ambitions for Northern Powerhouse Rail."

The previous Government's £96 billion Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands scaled back ambitions for Northern Powerhouse Rail, with Rotherham and Sheffield both missed off plans.

In 2023, as it axed HS2 reaching the North, the then government's "Network North" plan included a new mainline station for Rotherham that would be added to the route between Sheffield and Leeds, giving the town its first direct service to London since the 1980s.

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The new mainline station proposed for Parkgate is a Department for Transport (DfT) retained scheme, held back for further review or development before funding is released, so a business case for the project has been prepared in line with government guidance, including the requirements of the Treasury’s Green Book which has been updated to support place-based business cases.

The Government's City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) (now renamed as Transport for City Regions) was identified for much of the next stage of the project - the development of a full business case which is expected to cost £11.35m.

Last week, £1.5 billion was confirmed for South Yorkshire but only buses and trams have been mentioned so far, despite SYMCA describing Rotherham Gateway has having "the potential to offer the most significant growth and regeneration opportunity across the North of England."

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Responding to the Spending Review, South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: "We’ve not seen the whole picture today. Next week, we’ll hear about the government’s plans for infrastructure, and I’ll be looking for a response to the proposals we put forward through the White Rose Agreement’s Yorkshire’s Plan for Rail, and support for some of our key industrial strengths, including our steel and hydrogen sectors."

Yorkshire’s Plan for Rail is a phased plan to fix Yorkshire’s broken railways, published by Lord Blunkett last month. For Rotherham the plans reiterate the need for a new mainline station given that the borough is currently poorly connected to the rail network, with the town centre served via a loop off the main line, and only having two stopping trains an hour.

Carrie Sudbury, Chief Executive, Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber, said: "A successful local and regional economy is built upon its transport infrastructure. Returning Rotherham to the main line will vastly improve connectivity to centres such as Leeds, London, Manchester and Birmingham whilst at the same time reducing journey times.

"The plan rightly identified that a rail journey must be at least 20% faster compared with a car journey to make in attractive alternative. At present it takes almost the same amount of time to travel between Rotherham and Barnsley via train, as it does to travel between Doncaster and Peterborough. Clearly this needs to change.

"We encourage the Chancellor to prioritise investment in South Yorkshire’s rail infrastructure, which in turn will bring about significant benefits for the local and regional economy.”

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News: Rotherham Gateway Station "a top priority" for South Yorkshire

Rotherham Gateway Station is the number one project in the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority's [SYMCA's] submission to the government's current spending review.

The project involves a new integrated station on the mainline and a tram-train stop on land at Forge Way, Parkgate and aims to transform the regional and national connectivity of Rotherham, catalysing a new Innovation Campus around the station.

Andrew Bramidge, Strategic Director for Regeneration and Environment at Rotherham Council, recently updated councilllors on the proposal. He said: "This project is identified as probably one of the top two priority projects for South Yorkshire, the other being Doncaster Airport. It is seen as being the catalyst for the redevelopment of the Sheffield to Rotherham economic corridor.

"SYMCA has just committed their proposal to the government's current spending review for 2025 and the Rotherham mainline station is identified as the number one project in that submission. So there's a lot of regional support for this and I think through that process, and the local growth plan that SYMCA have to submit to the government by the autumn, this will also be identified as one of the top priority projects, as from 2026 SYMCA get their devolved funding settlement. We are very confident that we will see this within that settlement as being one of the top priorities, not just for Rotherham, but for the region. There is a fair degree of confidence that we will be able to progress to the next stage."

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Funding is coming from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) and Towns Fund, with the CRSTS identified for much of the next stage - the development of a full business case which is expected to cost £11.35m.

Lucy Mitchell, Major Project Officer at Rotherham Council, told councillors that at this early stage, total costs are in the order of £100m for the station with the tram train on top of that [£7.1m]. She added: "The full business case will delve deeper into all of that, and gets into detailed design, so we really start to understand what the real costs are. Don't be too horrified by the number, it should be pulled back significantly.

"We have done some benchmarking of stations that have been built in other areas and other regions and the costs are noth anywhere close to that. Some stations have been built more in the order of £35m, £40m when they actually get to that construction stage. So take the very big number with a very big pinch of salt."

The construction stage would involve a seperate bid to government, which would likely involve some form of local contribution.

Simon Moss, Assistant Director, Planning, Regeneration and Transport at Rotherham Council, added: "I wouldn't say we've had some assurances from DfT that they will fund the station but we are working well with them, they attend the station board meetings, they are really engaged and I think that I could probably venture to say that they understand the benefits that it brings to the rail network as well as the growth benefits. If they were here I think they would probably offer us some supportive words as they would be able to mention in public, but ultimately, there are no assurances."

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News: Why Masbrough was sidelined in Rotherham mainline station search

The proposed location for Rotherham Gateway Station is where the mainline and the line carrying the tram train are closest together. It is the innovative tram train, which already links Parkgate, Rotherham town centre, and Sheffield, that is key, and why, without a tram train link, the closed station at Masbrough most likely missed out.

A masterplan has been completed for Rotherham Gateway Station at Parkgate and includes placemaking around the station and the growth opportunity to capitalise on improved rail connectivity. The site is close to Rotherham town centre, Parkgate and the potential housing development at Bassingthorpe Farm, as well as being the "northern anchor" to the Sheffield - Rotherham economic corridor, and within the South Yorkshire Advanced Manufacturing District and Investment Zone.

Simon Moss, Assistant Director of Planning, Regeneration and Transport at Rotherham Council, updated councillors on the station proposal at a recent meeting. He said: "With the business cases it is really difficult to identify enough benefits - journey time savings, or the number of additional passengers, or wider economic benefits. It is really difficult to make those stack up, even in our biggest urban area, in and around Rotherham town centre, even with that growth. That's why we are really looking at the central area of Rotherham, how it links with the existing infrastructure like the tram train and infrastructure in the wider Sheffield-Rotherham corridor."

The former station at Masbrough, on the edge of Rotherham town centre, closed in 1987 when services on the mainline stopped calling in Rotherham. The potential reopening of the site was also discussed.

Moss said: "There was a significant piece of work that was undertaken at the start, as part of the strategic outline business case, to look at the various options for the siting of the station. Masbrough was one of the options that was looked at. I think, and I can't speak to the decisions around 40 years back, but clearly the tram train changes that context quite significantly compared to back then. The proximity of those pieces of rail infrastructure at Parkgate is making them viable to interact.

"Masbrough is that bit further away from the town centre but without the potential of the convenient connectivity on to the tram train, which is a real asset for the town centre. And Rotherham Central is still going to be an important gateway into the heart of the town centre and Forge Island. That was probably some of the thinking."

For Rotherham Central, which is served by a single track, a connectivity study concluded ten years ago that dualling the Holmes Chord could cost £32m and realigning the main line through Rotherham Central could cost £161.3m.

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Lucy Mitchell, Major Project Officer at Rotherham Council, added: "The decision on the location for the station was something that was taken by Transport for the North [the subregional transport body] when it was part of the Northern Powerhoue Rail programme. They did a really robust piece of work looking at a range of site options, and the benefits and disbenefits of each of those options. We were aware of that work, and on the sort of fringes of it, but it fundamentally wasn't our work, it fed into the strategic outline business case.

"I think, from memory, there is a curved line at Masbrough and it was dismissed for that reason predominantly. I know there are numerous stations that exist on curved lines but for new stations I think that goes against the guidance now for developing a new station so the decision was taken that actually Masbrough wasn't suitable."

It was also discussed that the bridges either side of the Masbrough station site also constrain the ability for longer platforms and impact on any potential electrification of the line.

The Rotherham Rail Connectivity Study of 2015 also stated that Masbrough did not have good accessibility by car, bus, and active modes or would facilitate economic development.

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News: Which services could stop at Rotherham Gateway Station?

Discussions continue with train operators over which services could stop at the potential new mainline station in Rotherham that is aiming to open in 2030.

The Rotherham Gateway Station project, featured by Rothbiz earlier this month, involves a new integrated station on the mainline and a tram-train stop on land at Forge Way, Parkgate.

Discussing the project at a recent council meeting, Simon Moss, Assistant Director, Planning, Regeneration and Transport at Rotherham Council, said: "Everyday we have got mainline train services that travel through the borough on the way to Leeds, York, Birmingham, London, Cleethorpes, and none of those trains stop in Rotherham.

"Obviously we have got Rotherham Central, which is a real asset, on a branch line with local trains that stop twice an hour. Despite the rail infrastructure that we've got, rail connectivity is really quite poor. So Rotherham Gateway will be a big step change in the connectivity to regional and national destinations. That wider connectivity will come together with local access with a new tram train stop, bus services and other options that need to integrate into a proposal such as this.

"We have been in touch with the various rail operators, they've got a range of different approaches, and different positions, and different considerations."

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The aim is to increase the range of direct destinations and for a 30 minute journey time reduction to Leeds, York and Birmingham.

Lucy Mitchell, Major Project Officer at Rotherham Council, added: "We've invited a number of operators to join the steering group with Northern being the main target as it is likely that they would be the station facility owner. They are fundamental to any conversations that we have about what that station building might look like and how they want to operate it.

"We've also had some dialogue with TransPennine Express as a target operator for a service that we would like to see stopping at the station and similarly with CrossCountry, we've had dialogue with them. Northern have been quite heavily involved - coming to the steering group - and we've asked them to sit on the board as well.

"Operators are quite straightforward about what they would accept and wouldn't accept, which we would rather try and understand at this stage, and plan for."

Northern operates the most services in the area with potential new direct links to the nearby cities of Sheffield, Doncaster, Wakefield and Leeds. TransPennine Express operate between Liverpool and Cleethorpes on the mainline that goes through the Rotherham site with a service that also stops at Manchester and Sheffield. CrossCountry's Plymouth – Edinburgh Waverley and Reading – Newcastle services, that take in cities such as Birmingham and York, are also in the conversation.

Mitchell added: "At the moment there are two services that we can confidently accommodate so we could get better journey times to Leeds and better journey times to Doncaster. Journey times to Sheffield would marginally improve, because they are so close on the rail network.

"We are working with DfT [Department for Transport] and Network Rail to look at other services that offer up wider connectivity. So the conversations with TransPennine Express, that's about trying to get that service to potentially stop at this station so that you could get directly through to Manchester.

"Similarly, conversations about CrossCountry services, if we can get a stop at the station here you are on a direct connection to Birmingham, to York, wherever, that is the thing that significantly enhances the opportunity for Rotherham people and Rotherham businesses.

"It's a lot of work to go to secure those services and get them stopping here but that is the journey that we are on and where we'd like to get to."

Images: Northern

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